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Cloaker (Payday 2)
The Cloaker is a special enemy in PAYDAY 2. ''They serve mostly the same role from the original game, attacking players from unexpected angles with a kick that incapacitates in one hit, then continuing to beat down the player. They are distinguished by their green goggles and gas mask, as well as the electric sound they emit when close by. This sound is heard briefly after the Cloaker spawns, regardless of the player's position (possible bug). Behavior Cloakers will normally spawn in to the map by using objects such as manhole covers, ventilation grates and normal enemy spawn points. Players can normally detect their presence by the high pitch noise they emit, which sounds similar to the ringing of telephones or a holler. After spawning, Cloakers behave somewhat like regular enemies, although they are stealthy in their movements and will take alternate routes to flank players. They generally fight like regular enemies with their Compact-5 submachine gun until they get close enough to charge and kick a player, which will incapacitate a player in They are capable of performing acrobatic movements such flipping over low objects, ducking under tables to evade damage, go prone under cars, as well as crawling through vents to attack from unexpected angles. Like in the first game, Cloakers will beat downed players with their nightsticks, occasionally kicking and taunting them until they spot a new target. If a Cloaker can not find a player to attack after spawning, it may decide to hide under objects such as vehicles and large objects, or hide on top of objects attached to the ceiling to drop down on unsuspecting players searching for them, or simply wait around corners and behind doors to ambush players instead of rushing in with other SWAT units. In terms of appearance, Cloakers may appear similar to a Blue SWAT unit at first glance, although their head shape is slightly different from other SWAT units due to their goggles, and wear darker armor than the Blue SWAT. This unassuming appearance will usually allow Cloakers to blend in with a mob of SWAT units. The only time a Cloaker's appearance will stand out is when its goggles glow green after it has decided to charge a player, along with an increase in the electric sound's volume. This visual/audio warning is usually too late to be helpful, however, players that aim for the head can still kill the Cloaker before it can take the player down (usually playing the attack animation, but having no effect, and dying afterwards). Cloakers may also lie on the ground to appear dead, then suddenly roll to the side and stand up to attack. Cloakers are capable of jumping over cover in order to attack players. Do not be lured into a false sense of security just because you are hiding behind an object. They are also extremely fast and can close distances quickly. When taking damage, after incapacitating a player, or when setting up ambushes around a downed player, Cloakers will often drop a smoke bomb to further mask their movements. If a cloaker has successfully downed a player, it will drop a smoke bomb upon death. Additionally, the cloaker's kick attack has a short cooldown period of around 10 seconds. It is extremely vital that a cloaker is killed before trying to revive his victim as he can wipe out the entire crew if attempting to revive downed players while he is still active. A standing Cloaker can still kick if a heister is in range without emitting the traditional ringing noise, so keep an eye out when moving through tight spots as they have a particular habit of ambushing players silently this way. As of the Death Wish update, Cloakers will occasionally 'team up' with Tasers in an attempt to quickly incapacitate the crew. As of Update #25, Cloakers can now perform side flips and quick jump recoveries in attempts to dodge bullets. Strategy Cloakers have roughly double the amount of health when compared with the next toughest special unit (Taser), but they take much more damage from head shots than other specials with the exception of the Bulldozer. It is recommended to take them down from afar, although any weapon capable of throwing a wall of lead can drop a Cloaker at close range if a player manages to get the drop on one and focus fire. At point blank range, a leveled Enforcer could quickly kill a Cloaker with a shotgun, such as the Locomotive 12G, with rounds to the head on Overkill difficulty. Fast-firing and high-damage weapons such as the AMR-16 are also viable with good shot placement. Cloakers are extremely fast and hard to hit when on the move, but they occasionally stop to "hide" behind objects. This is an opportune time to spray them with lead. Rarely, a Cloaker's jump-kick can be dodged or avoided by moving sideways as he approaches. The jump-kick can still connect if you are running directly backwards, so be sure to move to one side as well to help throw their aim off. Sometimes moving towards a Cloaker can make it jump over you, which makes it miss and land behind you. The Cloaker jumps over tables and waist-high obstacles while executing this move. Cloakers have many hiding places, and often like to camp out near map exits and highly-traveled routes (such as the alleyway door on Four Stores, the route to the van in Day 1 of Rats, or the downhill area in Day 1 of Firestarter) or supply drops (such as the toilet in Nightclub). Whilst this often works to their advantage, it can also work against them: players can spot them from afar (and quickly gun them down) if they are hiding on the wrong side of a doorway, and use the static hiss to pinpoint the Cloaker's location and set a trap (such as a Trip Mine or Sentry Gun) or use a Frag Grenade to try and flush them out. If they wedge themselves between a wall and a door, the Cloaker can be shot through the crack between the door and the door frame with careful aim. In addition, if you hear the Cloaker's high-pitched idling sounds and cannot see a live Cloaker, keep away from large mobs of SWAT units while checking for any seemingly dead ones and fire individual shots into their heads to provoke any Cloaker who is playing dead into revealing himself and attacking. Spamming the "interact" button on corners and other spots or pointing a flashlight where Cloakers often hide is an effective tactic as well, as they will be spotted and gain a red outline. It is also possible for Cloakers to hide under vehicles (and occasionally large pieces of furniture, such as couches) where they can be nearly impossible to shoot, but any of the three sniper rifles or frag grenades can be used to either kill them or flush them out. Other common hiding places include rooftops (where they may simply lie face-down as if hiding under a car, perhaps trying to play dead) and ceiling nooks, where they can brace themselves for support and then drop down without warning, as if dropping from a vent. Vents can also be 'trapped' by placing a Trip Mine near the vent itself, high up on the wall. Cloakers seem to be invulnerable as they ''complete the drop-in animation, but not as they are first dropping down. In any of these scenarios, it is wise to keep a good distance from their hiding place unless you are intentionally trying to bait the Cloaker into attacking. Given the Cloakers' habit of setting ambushes around downed players, it is critical for players to alert their teammates after being knocked down by a Cloaker so that they can clear the area before attempting to revive. Alternatively, a Mastermind with the Inspire skill can revive teammates from a distance, although caution is still advised if you suspect a Cloaker has knocked down your teammates. A simple way to tell if a Cloaker has downed a teammate is that a kicked down player will still retain the health bar behind the bleed-out timer. Cloakers' spawn rate between Assault waves, and during Assault waves due to other special units intercepting the crew. A maximum of Cloakers can appear quickly during the cool down period between Assaults. It is strongly suggested to stay together when pushing for objectives or throwing bags and to watch your shortcuts. Unlike most enemies, Cloakers are NOT affected by the effects of ECM Feedback, so think twice before setting up a ECM jammer to cover your back. Though ill-advised, using a Cloaker as an impromptu healing method is viable, as a kicked heister gets partially healed if helped back up, and the kick does not incur a bleedout penalty for that player. This tactic is rarely used, however, and is largely frowned upon during online play, due to the fact that the kicked player may be in a hazardous situation (i.e middle of an Assault wave) where the team could not reach, and having a member in custody can cost the team dearly. Alternatively, the Cloaker who kicked the previous heister may stil linger around the site and may kick anyone attempting to rescue the downed player. Weapons for Countering Cloakers Assault Rifles Because of their versatility, assault rifles are effective against Cloakers at all ranges, although their mediocre damage per second ratings require the player to maneuver carefully as the Cloakers can take quite a few hits. Shotguns Shotgun shells, when applied to the heads of Cloakers are extremely effective, as their unprotected heads result is a major weakness for the players to exploit. Submachine guns Submachine guns with large magazine size and high fire rate (Mark 10, CMP, Kobus 90, SpecOps) can quickly kill an cloaker before he can react and take you down. Light Machine Guns Light machine guns mostly share the same traits with large magazine and high fire rate submachine guns, with suppressed fire can easily down a cloaker. Sniper Rifles With its slow fire rate, the sniper rifles require good aim to take down a cloaker, as a missed shot can easily result in a downed heister. Taunts After kicking a player, the Cloaker will sometimes taunt the victim, many of which involves him comically breaking the fourth wall. Achievements Trivia *Cloakers have threes styles of kicks: One is a roundhouse kick, another is a dropkick, and the last is a heel kick while doing a somersault. *Cloakers are the only type of enemies that are not visually affected by the explosions of frag grenades. Other enemies usually loses their helmets or a few armor paddings, but a Cloaker hit by an explosion will remain visually intact. *A kicked player will automatically turn to face the Cloaker, unlike in the previous game where they simply drop down to the floor, incapacitated. *The uniforms worn by the new Cloakers are largely identical to the ones worn by Taser units, albeit with a camouflaged design rather than the Taser officer's black and blue. *The Cloakers were originally removed from PAYDAY 2 as getting kicked by one would cause the game to crash. *The Cloakers in PAYDAY 2 were given the nickname Spooks before the release of the game. They are still referred to as such in the job risk analysis. **The Risk Level 3 analysis on consoles still shows an image of a Cloaker, despite there being no Cloaker present in-game. It likely was the left over image from the beta version when these enemies are still present. This also occurred on the PC version before the update that introduced the Cloaker into the game. *The Cloaker's appearance is very similar to Sam Fisher/3rd+4th Echelon spies from the Splinter Cell series, as well as the sound emitted when he charges is similar to the night vision goggles of the SC series. *Unlike the PAYDAY ''Cloakers, the new Cloaker variant does not dim the lights of their nightvision when charging the players. *The ''PAYDAY 2 Cloakers wears a dark grey uniform with a digital camouflage pattern that allows them to blend in better with the smokescreen they usually pop before attacking the heisters. *Despite being a stealth-based enemy, the Cloaker is one of the loudest, if not the loudest enemy in the game. However, according to the Gage Weapon Pack 2 notes, the cloaker is supposedly silent. The loud noises players are actually hearing are their encrypted radio transmissions being intercepted by their comm units, which get louder as they get nearer. *In PAYDAY: The Heist, Cloakers simply run and kick to incapacitate the player. In PAYDAY 2, Cloakers have a unique attack called the "Jump-Kick" to incapacitate the player. *The Cloaker is the only character in PAYDAY 2 who will break the 4th wall. *A newspaper for the Death Wish Update page tells that the Cloaker is a paramilitary unit, indicating they are either mercenaries or private military soldiers. *They also seem to have a low reputation with the police force as the police considers them "unethical", likely referencing their deposition for unnecessary brutality after taking down a suspect. *Incapacitation from a Cloaker's kick does not count against the number of bleedouts players may incur before automatically going into custody. This means that players with very low health can actually be healed if revived after being taken down by a Cloaker. *The Cloaker uses a unique variation of the Compact-5 modified with the Sehr Kurze Barrel, Assault Light, Tactical Laser Module, Adjustable Stock and See More Sight. It also features its own unique modifications which is a vertical foregrip under the Barrel, a unique Suppressor and a blocky straight magazine suggesting that it uses 10mm or .40 S&W cartridges instead of the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges, meaning that it is probably based off the MP5/10 or the MP5/40. Gallery 2014-05-20_00006.jpg|Two Cloaker's Dead on the ground. 2014-05-20_00005.jpg|The Cloaker's Weapon. April Fools Cloaker Cloaker.png|April Fools 2014, the 'Cloaker Cloaker'. Category:PAYDAY 2 Category:Special enemies (Payday 2)